Tortoises can be affected by many diseases and given he is an older tortoise, this heavy breathing is a concern. So he will definitely need a veterinary examination to explore the possible causes and start treatment where appropriate.

Tortoises have very different anatomy to mammals so this heavy breathing can signify respiratory disease or more significant internal organ problems. It is also possible that Fred has a viral infection which may require anti viral treatments.

However, regardless of the cause it is important he is continuing to eat and drink and pass motions. If this isn't the case then he will deteriorate rapidly.

Your local small animal vets should be comfortable seeing him and performing an examination on him, they may want to treat him for parasites as well as start some antibiotics. It is also very easy to assist feed tortoises so they may dose him with some convalescent food especially for herbivores.

He should be kept warm and have easy access to food and water and it may help giving him a bath in tepid water as this can stimulate the passage of motions.

I am sorry I cannot diagnose is problem but it does sound significant enough to warrant veterinary attention.

Ask a Veterinarian

Get a Professional Answer. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

2 Veterinarians are Online Now

Type Your Vet Question Here...

characters left:

Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.